Recordings of the court proceedings reviewed by Bloomberg News reveal that the audio has been edited. – Bloomberg

In other words, it’s been give the Breitbart treatment.

This stunt won’t make the walk into modernity for the Supreme Court any easier, but it is a case for televising important oral arguments, though Chief Justice Roberts won’t see it that way, unfortunately.

A review of a transcript and recordings of those moments shows that Verrilli took a sip of water just once, paused for a much briefer period and completed his thought — rather than stuttering and trailing off as heard in the edited version.

The ad marks a blurring of the line between the law and politics, in which the nation’s highest court — and the justices and lawyers who decide and argue cases — are becoming fodder for Republicans’ and Democrats’ arguments over the validity of the president’s signature domestic legislative achievement.

“Breitbart” is now a verb to me, as in to manipulate the truth so it comports with your ideological way of thinking.

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6 Comments

One would think that after all these “licks” over all these years the Democrats would realize that they have to raise their game. Nope. Still playing checkers.

guyski
March 30, 2012 at 2:17 pm

I just really don’t understand how televising oral arguments will make in bit of difference. If someone can “Breitbart” audio, they sure can “Breitbart” video. In fact it already happens all the time by both parties.

secularhumanizinevoluter
March 30, 2012 at 5:46 pm

Gosh, you “just really don’t understand how televising oral arguements would make a bit of difference”?
Well, it won’t make any difference to the braindead repugnantklan/teabagger faithful who get their misinformation from faux not news.
HOWEVER… to those with functioning brains it would seem being able to actually WATCH while it is argued out…or then have HONEST sources repeat the broadcast arguments instead of liars and propagandists editing them…I think that could make a BIG difference.

guyski
March 30, 2012 at 6:38 pm

Right now anyone can listen to the audio of the supreme court arguments. correct? And right now people can take that audio an edit it any way they want. correct? The same with televised (video&audio) correct?

People can watch it if they want. Other people can edit it if they want. If people are waiting on “HONEST” sources to repeat what was broadcasted these people are naive. There are countless examples of what people say and do taken out of context. It is endless. It is not just Republicans taking Democrats out of context or Democrats taken Republicans out of context. If there is an advantage to be gained, people will have no problem manipulating what is said or broadcast via television.